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ajarkot, August 3

After seventeen years, staffers have been deployed to depots of Nepal Food Corporation located in different places of Jajarkot.

Non-gazetted second class officer Chetman Kathayat, first class officers Dipak Aryal and Kamansingh Rana have been dispatched to Chaukha food depot in Ragda VDC, Ghat Food Depot in Nayakwada VDC and Ghogi Depot in Pajaru VDC respectively.

Displaced during the Maoist insurgency, the food depots were restored ten years after peace was established in the country.

For want of depots and staffers, a contractor used to sell subsidised rice. After news of staffers being sent to the depots, locals hope they will get subsidised rice.

Kali Bahadur Shahi of Nayakwada said local people were not getting subsidised rice sent for them.

However, the problem has not ended with the management of staffers.

The building at Chaukha Depot is in sorry state. Though the depot has its own building, it has become dilapidated causing problems of storage. “We have to rent houses for staff quarters and godown as the depot building is in dilapidated condition for want of repair.” said Kathayat.

Last year, Nepal Food Corporation had issued a tender notice for repairing the building. Locals, however, complained that local contractor Maniram Damai had not carried out the repair work well. “Even after repairs, the building is not fit for living and storing rice,” Kathayat added. During the insurgency, Maoists had used the depot building as meeting hall.

Food Corporation Jajarkot Chief Dharma Bahadur Basnet admitted that subsidised rice had failed to reach locals for a long time. Basnet said that despite repeated directives, the contactor had not delivered the rice to the depots at Dasera and Pajaru.

Similarly, it is estimated that it will cost Rs 6 lakh to repair the depot at Ragda. “If the budget is allocated, the building can be made usable this year,” said Basnet. Depots at three other places have their own buildings.